SHILLONG, June 23 � The �difficult terrain� along the Indo-Bangla border has compelled the Border Security Force to shift from its traditional labour-intensive border guarding regime, to reliance on surveillance equipments.
UK Bansal, Director General of the BSF said here today that the BSF is in the process of procuring more surveillance equipments for which the Union Home Ministry has granted approval.
The BSF DG added that force multipliers like hand-held thermal-imagers, battle field surveillance radar and night vision devices have been installed on the border to ensure effective night domination.
But the BSF is going for more sophisticated equipments to shift its reliance on manpower to better use of technology to check infiltration and other crimes along the border.
He informed that currently nine battalions of the BSF, comprising approximately 10,000 men are deployed along the 498-km long Meghalaya border with Bangladesh, which he described as �full of difficult terrain�.
However, the BSF DG said that the BSF now shares an excellent relationship with its Bangladesh counterpart � Bangladesh Border Guard. �The two forces are working in close coordination to check cross-border crimes,� Bansal said here.
Further adding that as Assembly elections was around the corner, the BSF men have been put in full alert to check cross border movements, especially militants. He added that Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma and also the State intelligence units have indicated that militant movement along the border may increase in view of the coming elections.
As part of its plan, the BSF has identified vulnerable areas and mobile check posts along with local police in the border areas so as to nab militants and infiltrators.
On the border fencing, he added that out of 498 kms, 215.19 kms have been fenced and in another 119.32 kms work is under progress. The Meghalaya Government is likely to accord clearance for the remaining 88 km of pending fencing work in the State.
